Show Notes

Listeners’ Letter

Dear body,

You have carried me through 63 years of life with the ability to adapt and support me through changes and phases. You allowed me to play hard and long with complete abandon when I was a kid. In my teens and 20s, I started looking at you with a critical eye. I thought I had to manipulate and trick you into a shape the world convinced me was “beautiful.

When I was in my 30s and early 40s, you sustained me as a single mom passionate about building my career.  I am grateful that what I learned and practiced as an RD treating clients with eating disorders protected me from falling into a diet and wellness culture mindset.  However, I know I pushed you far too hard.  Thank you for hanging in there and tolerating my tendency to drive you further than was in your best interest.  I rarely stopped to consider the care you needed and deserved.  There were many times that I completely took you for granted.  Thank you for showing up time after time despite the fact you were not rested or restored.

I became a yoga teacher in my late 40s and 50s and started to develop a much kinder relationship with you.  I began to listen to you and realized the wisdom you steadfastly held for me.  I created a much healthier relationship with you by respecting your requests and trusting your ability to let me know what you needed.  The traumas of my life began to surface, and I realized that I needed to slow down so that you did not have to hold my pain and fear for me.  I could metabolize and process my pain so these wounds could heal.

Now that I am in my 60s, I realize that you need more of my attention and care.  I started reading up on how I can best care for you in this critical chapter because I want to be able to feel vital and adventurous.  The problem is this is not so easy to figure out!  The anti-aging industry is holding hands with the diet and wellness industrial complex pushing an agenda I am not interested in.  When I finally find a “pro-aging” account to follow or group to join, they still seem to value appearing thin and young.  This mess does not fit with my values.  Yet, I sometimes feel vulnerable to all these ideas because I fear becoming irrelevant, fragile, and tired.  Even though I know, they are playing on ageist and ableist beliefs.  This is not an easy navigation, and I feel very alone.

I’ll do my best to protect the relationship we’ve created and not betray your trust.  It’s hard out here!